With years of experience and industry knowledge, we are uniquely positioned to offer you the best flat roof advice and top notch, high-quality materials to ensure a perfect finish to all your work. EPDM flat roof systems deliver unmatched weather-resistance and longevity, and are the easiest of all flat roof materials to install – perfect for DIY, and part of the fastest growing sector of the roofing industry today – single-ply roofing membrane.

For many years, flat roofing industry professionals have been looking for a sustainable alternative to outdated felt roofs which crack, split and fail on a fairly regular basis. EPDM is fast-becoming the industry’s ‘go-to’ flat roof material, due to its incredible reputation for 100% waterproofing and its expected lifespan of more than 50 years!

What is EPDM?

Although EPDM is acceptably known throughout the flat roofing industry by its abbreviated form, the full title is Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, which is essentially its ingredients, synthesised to produce the high-quality rubber roofing membrane. Manufactured in the US by Firestone, EPDM is a single-ply roofing membrane with added carbon black to convert UV rays into heat, and resulting in a super-flexible, lightweight flat roofing membrane with unsurpassed UV resistance and longevity.

EPDM roofing membrane is available in two grades – standard grade at 1.14mm (weighs 1.4kg per m2) and a heavy-duty version - premium grade at 1.52mm thickness (weighs 1.8kg per m2).

With a low life-cycle cost, as EPDM requires little or no maintenance once installed correctly on a well-prepared substrate, and with high flexibility and elongation over 300%, EPDM is proving to be the leading flat roof material for the future, also ticking the boxes for the environment due to its inert properties, expected lifespan and limited impact during the manufacturing process.

EPDM is growing in the DIY market, due to the simplicity of the system in terms of application. The membrane is installed in a single piece, negating joins to a greater extent, and eliminating the use of hot bituminous substances through cold, water-based adhesives.

Flat Roof Kits from Permaroof

As EPDM has risen in popularity for flat roof installations of all kinds, Permaroof has introduced the perfect way to buy – the Permaroof-in-a-Box flat roof kit.

Buying a flat roof kit is an ideal solution for the DIYer, containing everything needed to install and complete the application from start to a professional-looking finish with no waste. Our kits are available in a wide range of standard sizes for shed roofing, garage roof replacements and flat roof extension projects. We also offer a custom-cutting service, and can create bespoke flat roof kits to suit your exact requirements.

The latest in liquid waterproofing

Permaroof UK offer the Permaroof 500 Liquid Coating waterproofing system, perfect for flat roof projects and a range of other applications such as:

Anti-skid surfaces

Balconies

Car park coatings

With rapid installation and drying times, the Permaroof Liquid Coating system is ideal for restorations and new builds, DIY waterproofing small areas and much more. We also deliver first-class training courses in application of this revolutionary system.

What you need to know about replacing a flat roof

A flat roof is not truly flat although it is almost level, but should have a gentle slope to ensure adequate water run-off has been provided to avoid pooling. This is generally recommended to be up to around 10°.

Careful checks should be carried out to determine whether the roof deck needs to be replaced before membrane can be installed. If the flat roof has existing issues beyond the covering, these should be addressed to ensure the membrane is given the best chance of successful adhesion, which will also add to its longevity.

A damaged or failing roof deck will only deteriorate over time.

To recover a flat roof with issues is a waste of time and money, particularly given the life expectancy of EPDM rubber roofing.

Failure to attend to vital roof deck repairs will only lead to future problems and a reduction in the lifespan of the new flat roof.

How to prepare a roof substrate for flat roof installation

One of the most important steps in replacement of any flat roof material is in the preparation of the roof deck.

The EPDM flat roofing system is most successful when careful and thorough preparation of the roof deck is undertaken first. This important process is best described in a series of steps:

Removal of the old flat roof covering

Bear in mind that once the old covering is removed, a damaged felt roof for example, the roof deck will be vulnerable to water ingress. Although EPDM membrane can be overlaid on an old roof covering, this is not the best way to ensure a successful installation. If the old membrane is left in situ, any torn pieces should be cut away and loose felt securely glued down, then thoroughly cleaned and be free of debris and dust. Often, it is easier to strip the roof deck of all old material.

Cleaning

If you are removing the old roof covering, every bit of the old material must be removed, and swept clean of debris and dust to ensure full coverage and good adhesion of the new membrane. EPDM membrane sits perfectly flat on the roof and will show up any anomalies and ruin the aesthetics. It is also worth remembering that any sharp pieces of debris can lead to membrane damage.

Once you have a clear flat roof deck, free of dust and debris, you can install your new EPDM membrane. Permaroof include clear, easy-to-follow instructions with every flat roof kit (also available in PDF format online), and have an extensive video resource library to cover every aspect of the installation.

Shed roofing can often be super-easy and completed within a few hours, even with no prior experience. Preparation is still important, to give the best longevity and aesthetic value, but shed roofs can often be tackled with the old felt roof in place. The method for shed roof replacement is easier to demonstrate in video form below.

Comparing flat roofing installations – what’s the best way forward?

There are two main types of flat roofing construction methods – a warm roof and a cold roof. A warm roof is the easiest and cheapest method, and probably the most common construction method found in the UK. The key difference between a warm flat roof and a cold method is largely down to the way the insulation is installed.

What is a warm roof?

The insulation is laid on top of a vapour barrier directly onto the flat roof deck, minimising thermal bridging and reducing labour time as no additional ventilation is required, and all the work is carried out from the top of the roof deck.

The disadvantages of this method are that the insulation adds direct height onto the installation, and it is unsuitable for walking on once completed.

What is a cold roof?

In a cold roof, the insulation is added between the roof joists underneath the flat roof deck, and the waterproofing membrane laid on top of the deck. Due to the increased occurrence of condensation on a cold roof, additional ventilation is needed to avoid hastening damage to internal woodwork.

This type of roofing method is often more expensive, due to the additional labour time involved, but once completed, can be walked on. A cold roof will also be easier to recover with a single-ply roofing membrane, particularly for a DIY project.

Once the flat roof construction has been determined, decisions can be made about the material to be used for waterproofing. EPDM flat roofing systems currently provide 100% waterproofing, greater flexibility and weathering capabilities than any other product, and are the easiest, fastest systems to apply, using water-based adhesives and a flat roof membrane in a single piece.

How Permaroof support our customers

Permaroof UK Ltd is the largest EPDM supplier and importer in the country, and run Firestone-approved EPDM flat roof training days at our purpose-built training centre in Derby. We work for our customers, and take a traditional approach to customer service, aiming to provide support throughout your customer journey and beyond.

One-day, intensive training is held at the Permaroof UK Ltd headquarters in Derby at our dedicated training centre. We offer a full day of demonstrations and practical application, digital training guides, certification and much more.

Shop online with next day delivery

Our extensive range of products include everything you need to complete professional flat roof installations from genuine Firestone Rubbercover membranes, trims and adhesives, to flat roof kits and skylights.

All our products are available to buy online in our dedicated shop, and with next day delivery on most of our products, monthly special offers with amazing discounts, and access to an extensive library of installation guides, there is no better place to buy flat roof supplies online.

Our teams of experienced staff are on hand to assist trade and DIY customers with any questions during opening hours via email, phone or using our online chat facility. Our customers can keep on top of the latest flat roof offers via our SMS alert service or email newsletter.

Flat roof trade counters and roofing suppliers

We have a range of fantastic packages available to flat roof trade counters and roofing supply merchants that can be tailored to suit your requirements. From a single branch to a national merchant, we offer packages to suit your individual business model to enable you to provide genuine Firestone flat roof membrane and accessories to your customer base.

Kit Builder App

Permaroof introduced the Kit Builder App to make short work of calculating flat roof materials and producing quotations. Today, it has become a valuable part of flat roofer’s tool kits all over the UK.

The Permaroof Kit Builder App uses just four steps to calculate all the materials necessary to complete a flat roof using the EPDM rubber system. The App asks simple questions about the size and orientation of the roof, whether there are extrusions and upstanding walls adjacent and attached and the type of finish you require, before calculating everything (including adhesives, trims and fixings) into a list that can be downloaded or sent straight to our sales team for a timely quotation.

With more than a decade of roofing industry experience and award-winning EPDM distribution and sales, Permaroof UK Ltd is uniquely positioned to deliver high-performance flat roof products and top-class training.

Why go anywhere else for supplies and support for your flat roof projects? Contact us today.